The Role of Educational Leaders in Supporting the Mental Health of All Students

There has been recent attention paid to the mental health issues experienced by many children and youth in Canada and internationally. In particular, the role of the school and educational leaders in preventing mental health difficulties and in-tervening in the case of mental illnesses has been highlighted. This paper presents an overview of several policies, programs, and initiatives related to the preven-tion of and intervention for mental health difficulties in Canadian schools with a focus on the Ontario context. Following this, literature examining the role of edu-cational leaders in meeting the mental health needs of students will be reviewed and recommendations put forward

Exploring and Promoting Mental Health Literacy and Outcomes: Introduction to the Special Issue

Guest editor introduction to the special issu

Mental Health Promotion Efforts for Children and Youth in Canada and Beyond: Evidence in Research, Policy and Practice

terms of both psychological and academic outcomes. Growing numbers of students are placed “at risk” as a result. A mental health promotion approach suggests that students can develop a number of skills and competencies, namely those related to social-emotional learning (SEL), which can reduce their chance of developing mental health difficulties. In Canada, a wide range of curricula, frameworks, initiatives, and programs have been put in place that address elements of SEL. In this paper, a sampling of these drawn from across the country is described. The emphasis on SEL apparent in many provinces and territories is evidence of the shared understanding of its importance with respect to improving student outcomes. However, a lack of evidence to support these approaches, inconsistencies in terms of terminology and practices, the lack of alignment between SEL and academics, and the piecemeal approach adopted within some provinces leave SEL and mental health promotion approaches vulnerable to being labelled “add-ons” and becoming transient initiatives

Exploring Mental Health Literacy Among Pre-Service Teachers

Worldwide, prevalence rates of students experiencing mental health difficulties are growing, with only one in five receiving treatment. The role of teachers in collaborative efforts both to identify and to provide effective services for these students is an essential one. However, scant research has explored the mental health literacy of pre-service teachers. In the present study, 186 pre-service teachers completed a vignette-based measure (Child or Adolescent version based on each teacher’s experience) in order to assess their mental health literacy, comprised of beliefs and knowledge. Results indicate that participants expressed lower efficacy when teaching children or adolescents with externalizing as compared to internalizing behaviours but believed that a child or adolescent experiencing behaviours indicative of depression was of the greatest concern and in need of intervention. Pre-service teachers were able to correctly identify cases of anxiety and ADHD, but many attributed behaviours typical of depression to home life difficulties (Child version) or substance use/abuse (Adolescent version). Results are discussed in light of previous research in the field; recommendations for future research and practice are provided

DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT BETWEEN ADOLESCENTS WHO REMAIN IN A K‐8 SCHOOL AND THOSE WHO TRANSITION TO A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

There has been abundant research examining how early life experiences affect achievement. In this article, we investigate the transition from elementary to junior high school at a developmental stage where numerous changes have an impact on students. Using nationally representative survey data, we found no differences in academic achievement between students who transitioned to grade seven from an elementary school in comparison to those who remained in the same school. We did find a significant decline in mathematics achievement between grade five and grade seven for children, regardless of their transition status. We present a developmental, rather than environmental, explanation. Key words: school adjustment, adolescent development, mathematics achievement  Il existe de nombreuses recherches sur l’effet des expériences vécues durant l’enfance sur la réussite scolaire. Dans cet article, les auteures étudient la transition d’une école primaire à une école secondaire du premier cycle à un stade du développement où de nombreux changements ont un impact sur les élèves. Se servant de données d’enquête représentatives à l’échelle nationale, les auteures n’ont trouvé aucune différence dans le rendement scolaire entre les élèves qui sont passés en 7e année dans une autre école par rapport à ceux qui sont restés à la même école. Elles ont noté toutefois une diminution importante des notes dans les examens de mathématiques entre les enfants de 5e année et ceux de 7e année, transition ou non. Il s’agirait, selon les auteures, d’une question de développement plutôt que de milieu. Mots clés : adaptation scolaire, développement à l’adolescence, rendement scolaire en mathématiques

The Characteristics and Experiences of Canadian Students Receiving Special Education Services for Emotional/Behavioural Difficulties

This paper provides a description of the demographic characteristics as well as the social and academic experiences of a nationally representative sample of Canadian students receiving special education services for an Emo-tional/Behavioural Difficulty (EBD) and a comparison group of students without disabilities (ND). Data summarized in this article were drawn from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Results reveal numerous areas of dif-ference between groups from student, parent, and teacher perspectives. In particular, the EBD group contained a significantly greater proportion of boys and students from low income families. Students in the EBD group reported hav-ing difficulty making friends and not liking school as much as their ND peers. Academic expectations reported by teachers and parents for children with EBD were significantly lower than for children without disabilities. Discussions of these findings as well as implications for practice and for future research are pre-sented

The Role of Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the Self-perceptions of Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

The present study compared the teacher ratings and self-perceptions of two groups of children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties: a) Those with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and b) those with average or below average levels of hyperactivity and attention. Results showed that the ADHD group was rated more poorly by teachers in academic, social, and behavioural domains. This group also inflated their competency ratings in these domains relative to teacher report more than the comparison group.La présente étude compare les différences entre la manière dont les enseignants perçoivent deux groupes d’enfants ayant des difficultés affectives et (ou) comportementales et celle dont les enfants se perçoivent eux-mêmes : a) Un groupe souffrant du trouble d’hyperactivité avec déficit de l’attention (TDAH) et b) Un groupe ayant des niveaux d’hyperactivité et d’attention moyens ou inférieurs à la moyenne. Les résultats ont mis en évidence que le groupe était moins bien noté par les enseignements dans les domaines scolaire, social et comportemental. En comparaison des enseignants, ce groupe a davantage surestimé ses compétences dans ces domaines que le groupe témoin

An Investigation of the Relationship Between Psychological Strengths and the Perception of Bullying in Early Adolescents in Schools

This study explored the association between psychological strengths and perceptions of being a victim of a bullying relationship in the school environment. Using self-report questionnaires with grades 7 and 8 students, the role of psychological strengths as potential protective factors against various forms of bullying were examined including the patterns of strengths associated with the bullying experience. The results showed no significant association between global indices of strengths and perceptions of victimization. However, significant relationships did emerge between specific strengths and victimization. Strengths in school functioning among boys but not girls and strengths in personality functioning for both sexes were associated with lower perceived victimization. In contrast, strengths in spiritual and cultural identification were associated with perceptions of increased victimization. The implications of these results for anti-bullying strategies are discussed.Cette étude a porté sur l'association entre les forces psychologiques et les perceptions d'être victime d'intimidation à l'école. En nous appuyant sur des questionnaires d'auto-évaluation auprès d'élèves en 7e et 8e année, nous avons examiné le rôle des forces psychologiques comme facteurs potentiels de protection contre diverses formes d'intimidation. L'étude a également porté sur les modèles de forces associés à l'expérience de l'intimidation. Les résultats n'ont indiqué aucune association entre les indices globaux de forces et les perceptions de l'intimidation. Toutefois, des relations significatives sont ressorties entre des forces spécifiques et l'intimidation. Des forces relatives à l'école chez les garçons mais pas les filles, et des forces relatives à la personnalité chez les garçons et les filles, étaient associées à une perception amoindrie de la victimisation. Par contre, des forces relatives à l'identification spirituelle et culturelle étaient associées à des perceptions accrues de victimisation. Nous discutons des répercussions de ces résultats sur les stratégies contre l'intimidation